Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-05-18
MonsOn's Hermit Dead.
From the Boston Globe.

From the Boston Globe
Through mud and rain, over rocky
thoroughfares, seven miles into the
rural districts Of Monson, Mass,
there lived g. hermit, whose quiet
country home and it's surroundings is
novel sight.
The rural home is now forsaken be.
cause Guy Goodwill, it's recent sole
occupant, whom everybody in that
section knew, has passed into eter-
nifty.
Ihe man In question was nearly 80
years OF age, OF dark complexion, and
OF fair physique for one of his years.
He had always been hale and hearty
man from his boyhood days until he
was found upon the floor of his
quaint, old-fashioned home with his
eyelids closed in death.
1t is evident that he died g. natural
death, as no marks of violence or foul
play were perceptible upon any por-
ton OF the dead mans body. It is
the general verdict that he had been
dead for several days when found, and
the physician who was summoned to
view the dead mans remains, deemed
it inexped1ent to hold an inquest, and
thought that perhaps his death might
have resulted from an apopletic shock
He was accustomed to asking for the
assistance Of p neighbor, Jas. Chaffee,
whenever he decided to send upon an
errand to the village. This kindness
had been granted the old man for so
many years that it had grown to be a,
duty which Neighbor Chaffee rarely
ever allowed to slip his mind, but it
happened that behad neglected to call
upon old Guy for several days, and
when he did call it was to his surprise
that all the doors were locked, cur
tains of O. temporary kind placed upon
the windows, and his old friend lying
upon the floor dead.
The Homework, cooking, etc., and
the duties that frequently fell upon
woman, were discharged by old Guy.
The house in which he lived was liter
ally q howell, being of antique design
and badly dilapidated from garrett to
cellar. It's dimensions are rs feet
wide by 35 feet long and constructed
ofwood. The structure contains three
rooms, but only one of these was &C.
cupied by the hermit and his sheep,
which were his sole companions.
When retiring at night he always
"penned his sheep off" il, one corner
of the room, utilizing the wood box
and other material In fencing them
in, while at the dawn of day they were
allowed to ramble about the room,
and were trained to perfection.
He was also the happy possessor of
an old horse, which he kept in build
ing adjacent, this animal being &C.
companied by two mems and a. rooe-
ter; the latter he depended upon to
awake him from slumber each morn
ing.
His mode Of securing g. living was
not due to assiduous and hard labor,
as the little tract of land that he
owned was never cultivated, but al
lowed to grow up to BRUSH" He
occasionally manufactured baskets
and sold them to the villagers, thus
obtaining some money, which he ex-
ercised due Judgment In expanding for
other than necessary articles, and
most invariably doing without even
those. as the appearance of his hovel
would tend to Indicate. His furni-
ture consisted of a. stove, bed, q few
dishes and one or two chairs.
LII Is UoIloVoU ny SONuo IUat Ao udS
property and money concealed, but
where. it is hidden is q conundrum. In
vestigations will probably be made
soon.
The body of the dead hermit has
been removed from his lonely hovel
in the forest and conveyed to ceme-
terry for interment.
He was born in the vicinity oYStaf-
ford, in 1910, and leaves several chill
dren, who reside in different parts of
the country.